You may be eligible for compensation through an insurance claim if you suffer injuries in an automobile accident in Salem or any other Oregon city.
Sadly, insurance companies frequently fall short of entirely making up for the damages suffered by vehicle accident victims. Depending on the circumstances, pursuing compensation through an insurance claim may not be the best course of action. Instead, you may consider hiring an auto accident attorney Salem to file a lawsuit. An expert can help you learn more about the many sorts of compensation offered in this kind of claim.
Financial Recovery Following an Automobile Accident in Oregon
Even a relatively modest vehicle accident can result in damages of $10,000 or more, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At the same time, a more major collision might generate millions of dollars in losses.
Economic damages: In Oregon, these cover the actual expenditures related to a car accident. This includes payments for your car’s maintenance or replacement, present and future medical costs, lost wages, and potential future earnings losses and benefits resulting from any persistent disability you may have.
Non-economic damages: These compensate victims for non-financial losses incurred as a result of auto accidents. Following a collision, you may be entitled to financial support for your pain, suffering, scarring, disfigurement, and diminished quality of life.
Punitive damages: Punitive damages can be awarded when the other motorist was willfully negligent, such as driving under the influence or at high speed. These are intended to penalise the at-fault motorist and serve as a deterrent to stop others from repeating the same behaviour. Punitive damages, which may reach $500,000, can make up a sizeable amount of your claim.
A Car Accident Lawsuit’s Deadline
When pursuing a vehicle accident lawsuit with a Portland car accident attorney rather than submitting an insurance claim, you should take into account the following circumstances:
- if the negligent party is not covered by insurance;
- When their insurance does not provide enough coverage to pay for your expenses;
- where there are several at-fault drivers in a collision;
- When the negligent motorist who caused the accident was acting outrageously carelessly.
When you share some of the blame for a collision, you may also have the option of filing a lawsuit. You may still be eligible for compensation under Oregon Statutes (ORS 31.600) if you were not more than 51% at fault.